Soda fountain



June 30, 1.931, F B, HUT 1,811,851

soDA FOUNTAIN Filed April 20, 1`925 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 3o, 1931". l F. B HUNT 1,811,851

SODA FOUNTAIN Filed April 20, 1925 4 5 Sheets-Sheet `.'5

Patented .une 30, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE FRANKLIN B. HUNT, F CHICAGO, ILLINOES, ASSGNOR, BY JIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T'O THE LIQUID CARBONIO CORFORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLNGIS, A UCORPORATION 0F DELAWARE SODA FOUNTAIN Application. filed April 20, 1925. Serial No. 24,333.

This invention relates to improvements in soda fountains adapted for use in ice cream parlors, drug stores, and other like places. The principal object of the invention `is to .6 provide an improved cooling system whereby with the use of a single cooling unit different temperatures are obtained in different compartments of the soda fountain cabinet. A

further object of the invention is to provide means for obtaining in one compar'tment of the cabinet a relatively low temperature for brick ice cream and in another compartment of the cabinet a higher temperature adapted for bulk ice cream, these different temperatures being produced by the operation of a single cooling unit. Still another object of the invention is to provide improved means in a soda fountain for controlling the transfer of heat from one compartment of the vcabinet to another. A further object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the circulation of the brine in a compartment of the soda fountain cabinet.y Other objects relate to various features of construction andarrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment is illustrated. In the dr'awings, Fig. 1 shows a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation and perspective view of a soda fountain embodying the features of the present invention including the cooling system thereof; Fig. 2 shows a .horizontal section through the soda fountain cabinet illustrating the arrangementJ of the compartments and the ice cream containers therein; Fig. 3 shows a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig.'2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the evaporator or boiler; Fig. 5 shows an end elevation ofthe boiler or evaporator illustrated in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 shows somewhat diagrammatically the means for controlling the operation of the refrigerating system.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a soda fountain 10 having a front Wall 11 and end walls 12 supporting a top railing or counter 13.

The enclosurev formed by these walls has located therein the cooler cabinet 15 provided with a horizontal top wall or capping 1G, provided with a flange 16a, Vextending downwardly at the rea-r of the rear wall 17. The end walls 12 of the soda fountain may form the end walls of the cooler cabinet and the front wall 11 may similarly form the front wall of the cabinet.

The cabinet 15 contains a casing 2O of sheet metal comprising a lower wall 21, end walls 227 a front wall 23 and a rear wall 24. This closed casing 2O is insulated from the surrounding walls of the cabinet by means` of insulating material 25 and is also yinsulated from the top capping 16 by insulating material 26. rlhe casing 2O is divided by a Vertical partition 27 thus forming two separate compartments 28 and 29, each of which is filled preferably with a suitable brine such as a solution of calcium chloride and water. The brine in the compartment 28 surrounds a receptacle 30 of rectangular cross-section which is adapted to contain brick ice cream and whichV is located directly beneath anV opening in the top capping 16 which'is nor- Inally closed by a removable cover 31. `The brine solution inthe compartment 29 surrounds a plurality of containers 32 of elliptical horizontal cross-section each of which is adapted to receive a pair of cylindrical receptacles 33 for bulk ice cream. T he containers 32 are spaced from each other and from the walls of the casing 2O so that they are entirely surrounded by the brine. The receptacles 32 are located beneath openings in the top capping 16 and these openings aref adapted to discharge fresh water and car-V bonated water.r f

vThe compart1nents'28 and 29 are cooled by the operation of a boiler or evaporator which is located in the compartment 23 and err Sll

connected with suitablemechanism for effecting the supply thereto of a liquefied refrigerant. The brine in the compartment 29 is cooled by the transfer of heat through the partition wall 27 to the compartment 28 in which the boiler or evaporator 40 is located. This transfer of heat results in the setting up of convection currents in the bodies of brine in the two separate compartments of the cabinet. Due partly to the heat insulating eifect of the partition wall 27 which may be formed preferably of copper, and more largely to the effect of the film on the surfaces of the partition, known as surface effect, a difference in temperature is maintained between the brine in the compartment 28 and the brine in the compartment 29. For example, the temperature in the compartment 28 may be maintained at Zero degrees Fahrenheit while the temperature of the brine in the compartment 29 may be 6 or 8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. This condition is suitable for the maintenance of the proper .temperatures of the bulk and brick ice cream since the bulk ice cream which is normally served over the counter must not be too hard while the brick ice cream, which is usually sent out to the home of the customer, .must be maintained at a much lower temperature so that it will maintain its low temperature for a longer period after being delivered from the soda fountain.

If desired, a greater dierence in temperature between the two compartments of the cabinet may be brought about by the' use of one or more additional partitions which may be either complete or partial partitions. In the drawings, there is illustrated a partial partition or baiiie 41 formed of sheet metal, such as copper, which extends between the front and rear walls of the casing 2O and which extends downwardly from the top wall thereof throughout only a part of the depth of the casing. In this instance, it is shown as extending substantially through one-half of the depth of the casing and is spaced somewhat from the adjacent partition wall 27 and also from the adjacent container 32. In this construction, the heat which passes through the upper portion of the partition must pass through two sheet metal walls and overcome four surface films in addition to setting up a small convection current cycle in the brine which is located between the wall 4l and the wall 27. This tends to decrease the rate of heat transfer between the two compartments so that a greater temperature difference may be maintained. The temperature difference may be regulated as desired by varying the area and number of the battle walls or partitions 41. The temperature difference is also affected to some extent by a baiiie wall 42 which extends upwardly from the bottom wall 2l of the casing 20 in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the container 32 which is located nearest to the partition wall 27. This baffle wall 42, which is formed in two sections, unites the front and rear walls of the casing 20 with the curved end walls of the container 32 so that the convection currents set up in the brine in the compartment 29 are compelled to pass over these baffle walls 42 as the cooled brines passes upwardly away from the partition 27. These baille walls have the desirable effect of deiiecting the convection currents upwardly from the lower part of the partition wall 27 so that they tend to direct these currents toward the upper parts of the containers 32 in the compartment 29 thereby cooling the upper portions of the containers which are most likely to be affected by the temperature of the outer air and causing a more uniform temperature to be maintained throughout the depth of the containers 32.

The brine solution in the compartment 28 is cooled by the vaporization in the boiler 40 of a suitable refrigerant, such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) which is passed into the boiler in liquid form and which vaporizes therein with a resultingcooling of the surrounding brine solution. The boiler 40 comprises a horizontal cylinder 46 having extending downwardly therefrom a plurality of circulating tubes 47 as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5. The tubes 47 extend downwardly from the cylinder 46 into the brine solution and as the sulphur dioxide boils or vaporizes, the liquid refrigerant circulates through these tubes and reduces the temperature of `the surrounding brine solution. The cylinder 46 of the boiler has a vapor` space 48 located above the level of the sulphur dioxide which is shown at 49. The liquid refrigerant is supplied to the cylder 46 of the boiler through a supply pipe 50 and the level of the refrigerant 49 is maintained by means of a float 5l pivoted at 52 on the end wall of the cylinder and connect-l ed by links 53 with a valve 54 which is adapted to engage a valve seat 55 to stop the in-flow of the liquid refrigerant when the level has .raised to the desired extent within the cylinder of the boiler. The vaporized sulphur dioxide, or other refrigerant, is drawn off through a pipe 56 to the compressor 60 which is driven by an electric motor 6l. The vaporized refrigerant is forced by the compressor 60 through a pipe 62 into the condenser 63 which may be cooled in any desired manner and is shown as having located therein a cooling coil 64 through which cold water or other iuid is circulated, from. a supply pipe 65, the water or other Huid being discharged through a pipe 66. The flow of cold water through the coil 64 may be regulated in any desired manner. A regulating shut-olf valve 67 is located in the pipe 62 connecting the compressor with the condenser and a shut-off valve 68 may be preferably located in the pipe 56 at the intake of the compressor. The sulphur dioxide vapor, or other vaporized refrigerant, is reduced to a liquid formI in the condenser 68 by contact withj the circulating pipe 64 and the pressure in the condensing chamber is adapted to force the liquid refrigerant from the bottom of the condenser through an outlet valve 69 to the pipe which conveys it to the cylinder 46 of the boiler 40.

The electric motor 61 is supplied with current through line conductors 70 having connected therein a main cut-off switch 71 and having connected therein, also, an automatic control switch 72 comprising a pair of contacts 7 3 one of which is stationary and the. other of which is mounted on an arm 74 pivoted at 75 on a stationary supporting member 76. The opposite side of the supporting member 76 has pivoted thereon at 77 another arm 78 similar to the arm 74 and the outer ends of these arms are connected by one or more coil springs 79, as shown in Fig. 6. The outer end of the arm 78 is pivotally connected to a rod 8O which extends upwardly and is pivoted at 81 on a lever 82. The lever 82 is engaged on its upper side by a fulcrum 83 carried by a fixed support 84 and the lever is engaged on its under side at a point on the opposite side of the fulcrum 83 from the pivot 81 by a second fulcrum 85 which is carried by a sylphon tube or bellows 86 having communication with a pipe 87 which leads from a thermostatic tube 88 located in the compartment- 28 adjacent the boiler 40. The thermostatic tube 88, the pipe 89 and the sylphon bellows 86 are filled with methyl chloride or other liquid adapted to expand on an increase in the temperature of the brine in the compartment 28. When the temperature of the brine rises to a predetermined extent, the expansion of thesylphon bellows 86 raises the fulcrum 85 with the result that the arm 78 is gradually lowered until the outer end thereof passes slightly beyond a dead center position with respect to the arm 74, whereupon the spring or springs 79 causes the arm 74 to snap downwardly and close the switch contacts 73. When the temperature in the compartment 28 has fallen to the desired extent, the contraction of the bellows 86 under the influence of the thermostatic tube 88, causes the fulcrum to be lowered, with the result that the rod 79 gradually elevates the arm 78 until it passes beyond a dead center position with respect to the arm 74, whereupon the arm 74 snaps upwardly and opens the switch contacts 73, thereby stopping the motor 61 which drives the compressor 60. By means of this construction of the switch 72, a considerable range of temperature may be permitted without causing the switch vcontacts to open or close, thus avoiding a rapidintermittent operation of the motor and the compressor. The temperatures at which the switch 82 is operated to start and stop the motor may be regulated by a weight 90 Y mounted on the extension 91 of the lever 82 and secured in adjusted position by a set screw 92. This weight may be moved to what higher temperature inV the brine of the compartment 29.

I claim:

1. A cooling cabinet for soda fountains comprising a plurality of compartments, a

heat-transmitting partition wall separating said compartments, a receptacle in one of said compartments for one class of goods, a receptacle in another of said compartments for another class of goods, and a battle extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said last mentioned compartment outwardly from said partition wall to control the How of cooling fluid in communication with said partition wall.

2. A cooling cabinet for soda fountains comprising a plurality of compartments, a

heat-transmitting partition wall separatingV adJacent compartments, a baiiie wall extending parallel to said partition wall and spaced therefrom in one of said compartments, a luid cooling mediumin said last mentioned compartment contacting with said partition wall and said baffle wall, and refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments.

3. A cooling cabinet for soda fountain comprising a plurality vof compartments, a heat-transmitting partition wall separating adjacent compartments, a baiile wall extending parallel to said partition wall and spaced therefrom in one of said compartments, a fluid coolingv medium in said last mentioned compartment contacting with said partition wall and said baille wall, refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments, and a baffle extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said compartment in which said first-mentioned baffle wall is located.

4. A cooling cabinet for soda fountains comprising a plurality of compartments, a heat-transmitting, partition wall separating adjacent compartments, a baille wall extending downwardly from the upper wall of one of said compartmentsand disposed relatively close to said partition wall, a fluid cooling medium in said last mentioned compartment contactinO with said partition and baille walls, and refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments.

5. A cooling cabinet for soda fountains comprising a plurality of compartments, a heat-transmitting, partition wall separating adjacent compartments, a baille wall extending parallel to said partition wall and spaced therefrom in one of said compartments, a fluid cooling,` medium in said last mentioned compartment contacting with said partition wall and said baille wall, refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments, and a baille extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said compartment in which said first-mentioned baille wall is located and spaced further from said partition wall than said lirst baille wall.

6. A cooling cabinet for soda fountains comprising a plurality of compartments, a heat-transmitting, partition wall separating adjacent compartments, a baille wall extending downwardly from the upper wall of one of said compartments, a second balile wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said last mentioned compartment, a fluidcoolingl medium in said last mentioned compartment contacting with said partition and baille walls, both of said baffle walls controlling` the iow of cooling fluid in communication with said partition wall, and refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments.

7. A cooling;` cabinet for soda fountains comprisinga plurality of compartments, a heat-transmitting, partition wall separating adjacent compartments, a rbaille wall extending, downwardly from the upper wall of one of said compartments and spaced from said pa 1`tition wall, a second baille wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall of said first named compartment and spaced a greater distance from said partition wall than said first named baille, a fluid-cooling medium in said first named compartment contacting with said partition and balile walls, both of said baffle walls controlling:r the liow of cooling` fluid in communication with said partition wall, and refrigerating means located in the other of said compartments.

FRANKLIN B. HUNT. 

